Posted by gardenergirl on January 26, 2004, at 15:37:27
In reply to MAOI withdrawal, anxiety, Xanax, PLEASE HELP, posted by mbailey on January 25, 2004, at 21:33:49
I'm sorry your husband has to go through this. I have atypical depression and Nardil has been a godsend for me. How long was he on it? I assume he was on 60mg of Nardil. Some actually go to 90 mg to get the best effect. You might want to search the archives, as there is a lot of good stuff there about other meds, anxiety, and MAOI's. I am not an expert on this, but off the top of my head, here are my thoughts.
> 1. Is worsening of anxiety a typical MAOI withdrawal symptom? If so, what are the characteristics of it (he was not anxious before the past few months)? Does it continue as his dose goes down or is that unpredictable?
Since MAOI's are also used to treat Social Anxiety, it makes sense that if you discontinue it, you may feel more anxious. Your husband may have an unconscious anxiety underlying the depression. That is the case with my depression. It comes with the emotional reactivity and sensitivity.
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> 2. Is Xanax the only safe way to treat anxieties for people coming off MAOIs?I believe I have seen others use Klonopin, but again, check the archives, or perhaps other posters will help with this.
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> 3. What other non-MAOI drugs successfully treat atypical depression?There are all types of antidepressants. SSRI's, Tricyclics, MAOI's, and others. Has he tried all the usual meds? Perhaps Parnate instead of Nardil? From what I understand, MAOI's are still the gold standard, but of course everyone reacts differently. Perhaps a tricyclic in combo with the Nardil?
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> 4. How long does it typically take to get the MAOIs out of your system once you reach 0?Dietary restrictions must be maintained for at least 4 weeks post, so I would guess it takes that long.
There are others who post who can answer this more scientifically, but this is to the best of my understanding.
You might also want to consider psychotherapy, if he is not already doing that. Atypical depression really stinks. I truly believe for me it is the combination of the Nardil and the psychodynamic psychotherapy which is working best for me. My friends are saying that the old me is back. It's been years since I have felt this good.
I hope your husband finds something that works for him. We all deserve to beat this.
Take care,
gg
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> THANKS!
poster:gardenergirl
thread:305448
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040122/msgs/305712.html